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Matterhorn at WDW!
- Thread starter WDW4LIFE
- Start date
Lewis Carroll
Account Suspended
A version of the Matterhorn has been designed for each of the 4 parks at WDW:
- First was the Magic Kingdom version which would have been located where Mickey's Toontown fair is now. The railroad would have actually gone through the mountain at one point and train passengers would have experinced some sort of blizzard effect inside.
- At Epcot, a clone of the Matterhorn was planed for the never built switzerland pavillion. I believe a different version with a train was designed for the japenese pavillion at one point too.
- After MGM Studios opened, the Matterhorn was once again pitched..this time as a soundstage/faux mountain where one half of the mountain was inclosed and the other half was open so guests on the ground could see what was going on inside. It sounds strange but there is actual concept art for this on the internet.
- A 21st. century of the matterhorn concept (roller coaster ride through a snowy mountain with a thrilling encounter with the Yeti) was designed by Joe Rhode with the title "Forbidden Mountain". It was later greenlit and renamed "Expedition:Everest" thus giving us a happy ending to this tale and ending a 30 year struggle to get a Matterhorn type attraction to WDW.
Also as someone mentioned, if you want to experince the classic matterhorn ride just go on WDW's Space Mountain. It's not a carbon copy of the track layout but it looks, feels, and moves exactly the same way.
- First was the Magic Kingdom version which would have been located where Mickey's Toontown fair is now. The railroad would have actually gone through the mountain at one point and train passengers would have experinced some sort of blizzard effect inside.
- At Epcot, a clone of the Matterhorn was planed for the never built switzerland pavillion. I believe a different version with a train was designed for the japenese pavillion at one point too.
- After MGM Studios opened, the Matterhorn was once again pitched..this time as a soundstage/faux mountain where one half of the mountain was inclosed and the other half was open so guests on the ground could see what was going on inside. It sounds strange but there is actual concept art for this on the internet.
- A 21st. century of the matterhorn concept (roller coaster ride through a snowy mountain with a thrilling encounter with the Yeti) was designed by Joe Rhode with the title "Forbidden Mountain". It was later greenlit and renamed "Expedition:Everest" thus giving us a happy ending to this tale and ending a 30 year struggle to get a Matterhorn type attraction to WDW.
Also as someone mentioned, if you want to experince the classic matterhorn ride just go on WDW's Space Mountain. It's not a carbon copy of the track layout but it looks, feels, and moves exactly the same way.
Lee
Adventurer
darthjohnny
Active Member
This rumor has been around forever.
I was once told by a cast member that they were going to build a "Switzerland" in the World Showcase in Epcot, and put a Matterhorn in it. That has yet to happen....
Now that we have Expedition: Everest, I doubt they will build it. Everest is really a Matterhorn, on steroids! :lol:
Cast Members usually don't know much more, or even know less, than you or I.
I was once told by a cast member that they were going to build a "Switzerland" in the World Showcase in Epcot, and put a Matterhorn in it. That has yet to happen....
Now that we have Expedition: Everest, I doubt they will build it. Everest is really a Matterhorn, on steroids! :lol:
Cast Members usually don't know much more, or even know less, than you or I.
Lewis Carroll
Account Suspended
Only without half the fun and charm of the Matterhorn.
I dunno...I went on the matterhorn a few months ago and it just wasn't as fun as I used to think. Like WDW's space mountain...the matterhorn feels very rickety and too jerky. It also felt like it was going much slower then I remebered it. The whole time I was thinking "man this is about as much fun as rididng disney world's space mountain".
darthjohnny
Active Member
I think Space Mountain has some of the same layout as Matterhorn.
Madison
New Member
..insofar as they both have curves and hills, yes. Otherwise, they're nothing alike.
CoffeeJedi
Active Member
:brick: :brick: :brick:
Would you people PLEASE read the rest of the thread before commenting! It's only 2 pages so far, its not that hard!
sheesh :hammer:
Would you people PLEASE read the rest of the thread before commenting! It's only 2 pages so far, its not that hard!
sheesh :hammer:
wendysmom
Active Member
Being new at posting here, I feel like I need to clear my throat or say excuse me or something! Anyway...wendysdad and I were allowed to fly over Disney in August. It's a TFR zone...you have to be directed through it by an air traffic controller. There was a lot of air traffic that day and he told hubby to just fly straight to Kissemmee. Of course, my camera was packed and I missed taking some fantastic shots of Disney.:brick: It's amazing! I remember coming down when much younger:lookaroun and expecting to see the castle as soon as the pilot announced we would be landing soon in Orlando!
Sorry but this is a bunch of crap. There's not even twenty feet between the show buidling for it's a small world and the show building for The Haunted Mansion.
I really disagree here. While it's common knowledge that WDW's Space Mountain was *inspired by* Disneyland's Matterhorn, for one they are not at all carbon copy layouts. They don't look the same because WED used a completely different style track was used on Space Mountain. They don't feel the same because that new track on Space Mountain runs a lot rougher than (can you image..) the Arrow track on Matterhorn. I'm not sure what you mean by "moves exactly the same way" but from what I can gather by that logic it would fit any roller coaster that moves?
Point is Space Mountain may be newer (1975 vs 1959) but in no way would I ever consider it better (or even equal to) an experience on the Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Lewis Carroll
Account Suspended
man I just went on matterhorn and other then theming differences it feels the exact same way. Just as jerky and shaky and feeling like its gonna fall apart. I don't care about the technicalities that one is an "arrow track' and the other is "this" all I know is they feel the same way and they are laid out similar to each other.
Lee
Adventurer
Nope...not really.:wave:
Indeed. I do recall a story it was planned behind the IASW show building, with actual rebar being in place at the back of ISAW. Backstage searches could find no such rebar.
The Matterhorn was indeed planned for World Showcase; art exists for it. Does anyone have any proof it was ever planned for the NE (Toontown) area of the MK? I`ve never seen any myself, and indeed it isn`t in any plans circa 1969-73, but I do know the NE hub bridge towards the Tea Cups was a late addition before opening day.
CoffeeJedi
Active Member
In theory, they could have built it ON TOP of Small World's show building. If thats' not enough space, they could have strattled the gap and built it over Small World and Haunted Mansion. Theme the Fantasyland side to look smaller and happier, and the Frontierland/Mansion side to look bigger and more menacing. That's what they did to the original so it would look right in both Fantasyland and Tommorowland.
CoffeeJedi
Active Member
The Tommorowland side is "harsher" looking with a craggier, more angled face, as well as "taller" because you're walking up a hill to get to it. In contrast, the Fantasyland side is softer looking, and doesn't seem as tall.
They might have even played with the forced perspective between the 2 sides as well.
They might have even played with the forced perspective between the 2 sides as well.
MM Princess
New Member
LOL, the even sell some of the same merchandise.